Departments of Mathematics and Physics (D-MATH/D ... - RW/CSE

6. Doctoral studiesETH offers the opportunity to follow the Master Program with doctoral studies.Doctoral studies and the doctoral thesis introduce students to current research.Students require a Master degree from ETH or an equivalent degree from anotheruniversity in order to gain admission to doctoral studies. In special cases studentsmust sit an admission exam, the conditions of which are determined on an individualbasis. The most important requirement is that a professor at ETH must be willingto supervise the doctoral thesis (Doctoral Thesis Supervisor).Candidates apply to the Rectorate in writing. The Rectorate determines the documentationwhich is required for enrolment and passes on the application, togetherwith its assessment, to the department designated by the supervisor of the doctoralthesis. The Doctoral Studies Committee (Doktoratsausschuss) reviews the applicationand, after consultation with the supervisor, formulates an application tothe relevant Head of Department. The Head then recommends to the Rector thatthe application be accepted or rejected.Doctoral candidates produce a research plan in consultation with their supervisorwhich details the objectives and content of the doctoral thesis. The completion ofthe doctoral thesis should generally not take more than three to four years fromthe date of admission. The research plan is submitted to the Doctoral StudiesCommittee. An individual deadline is set for compliance with other admission conditions,and in general this should not be longer than one year. The Rectoratechecks whether the additional admission conditions have been met.Doctoral studies ensure that doctoral candidates receive further education in thesubject on which they are writing their doctoral thesis and in other fields. Furthereducational activities are documented in the form of credit points (KP). KP are onlyawarded if the student can demonstrate independent achievement. Students arerequired to document the attainment of at least 12 KP. Students who completetheir doctoral thesis in less than three years are required to attain proportionallyfewer KP. Doctoral candidates must attain at least one third of the KP that theyacquire in fields outside their own field of research.The Referee (usually the supervisor) and the Co-referee each produce a writtenopinion on the doctoral thesis and submit these to the Department prior to the doctoralexam. The doctoral exam consists of an oral exam lasting at least one hour inthe subject of the doctoral thesis. It is held by the examination committee. Thedoctoral exam is held no later than six years after enrolment in the doctoral studies.In exceptional cases the Rector can approve an extension based on the recommendationof the Department. The Examination Committee assesses both thedoctoral thesis and the oral exam as passed or not passed and reports its resultsto the Departmental Conference (Departementskonferenz) of the department inwhich the doctoral candidate is enrolled. The Departemental Conference decides23